Curse of The Purple Delhi Sapphire: Creating Kickass Librarians

Tour Stop: Feb 17th Interview from the Creatively Green Write at Home mom

Sophia Marcil is given a family heirloom that pulls her into a past life, eventually opening the door to psychic dreams and a book full of magical spells.  Unfortunately, the heirloom comes with a madman hell-bent on possessing her and her gifted stone.

This makes us wonder do you think special powers like time travel, mind reading, and telekinesis are a gift or a curse and if you could choose one which would it be. If I could choose one, it would most likely be time travel because much like Sophia I adore history. However, I can see the potentials danger involved. I would be nervous and reluctant to use such a power in real life—at least the first time—temptation would eventually win out. I think an even cooler power might be teleportation. Lunch in Paris? A play in New York? I love to travel and a gift like that would allow me to whisk myself off to a deserted Island for a much needed tan or hit up Japan for some fresh sashimi.  No airports, no line ups. Now there’s a gift I could get used to.

Do you prefer e-books or paperbacks? I read mostly on an ereader right now because I have children. The youngest being two—so I really only get the time to read in bed right before I crash. It’s actually my sleeping prescription. Take 10 pages and call me in the morning, otherwise I would probably lay awake like every other female in the country with an overactive brain.

What is your favourite thing about your ereader? When I finish a book, I can get another with the push of a button. Especially if it’s a series or an author I’m enjoying.

Do you think e-books have overtaken paperbacks? Right now I’d say it’s fairly even although we’ll see in a month when I get my most recent statement. I think some people are reluctant to let go of paperbacks. As a society, we spend so much time connected, looking at screens. Sometimes we all just want an isolated experience without the feeling of distraction.

What would your readers be surprised to learn about you? I think most people would be shocked to discover that I wanted to be a librarian at one time. Blame it on Ghostbusters, Buffy the Vampire Slayer or maybe even The Mummy for making the life of the librarian look so exciting. But truthfully, if my writing career hadn’t panned out then you can bet that’s where I would have went next. The few people I told laughed at me—not that working in a library is a joke—but I guess in there mind I wasn’t the stereotypical prim and proper spinster-in-the-making. Or maybe it was unfathomable that I would want to willingly navigate the dewy decimal system. Whatever it was, it was apparently hard to believe. That’s part of the reason why Sophia and Leslie are adventurous, sexual and quirky librarians. Of course it’s convenient to the plot that Sophia be a well-read individual who would have access and be knowledgeable when it came to history and ancient curses but I also just wanted to give the world some kick-ass librarians. Mission complete!

At times throughout your series, you write through the eyes of a killer. What is that like?

You know I’ve actually had this discussion with my writers group. Whether you’re writing a serial killer, a demon, an army of zombies or simply a bully, why is it so much fun to write from the villain’s perspective? Well I guess because sometimes it’s good to be bad. Villains are not boxed in or weighed down with pesky things like morals and values, the way the protagonist is, at least not usually. Rules—what are those? The law—why would I obey that? I feel as though there is a freedom to color outside of the lines. It’s the same reason I like writing fantasy—it’s a chance to experiment and get a little crazy. Although I will admit at times, being in the bad guys head can get downright creepy and I have had to research disturbing things like which knife would sufficiently gut a person—yeah true story. I once tried to write a scene late at night and I was hearing noises within 10 minutes which is why I now write during the day especially when I’m in the mind of my stalker.

What are you calling the next book in the series? Any details you can share?

The Keeper of the Book—it’s unique from the first two novels in the series because part of it is written from the perspective of Sophia’s Sixteen year old daughter Alanna who is crushed when her mother dies in a séance gone wrong. After three months of living with Cullen and her mother's best-friend Leslie, she begins to suspect that they're keeping a secret from her. The search for the truth becomes a dubious adventure, taking Alanna from curious libraries to the castles of Eastern Europe as she trails after her father in the hopes that her mother might still be alive. One question always lingering, if they find her, can they rescue her from the past? 

What book are you reading now? I’m in the midst of doing some reviewing. I just finished S.C Alban’s book, A Life without Living and I’m about to get into Francene Stanley’s, Shattered Shells. After that it will be Debauchery by Bernard Foong and then I plan to do another proofread of  G.L Morgan’s Cauldron Bearer for one of the members of my writing group. Her book hasn’t been picked up yet but it is very good and should be! Did you hear that agents and publishers. JJ

What is in your to-read pile? On standby I have, Cold As Ice by Ann Stuart and In Like Flynn by Rhys Bowen.

What is next for you? Do you have any scheduled upcoming releases or works in progress? Today I’m being featured on Books & Pearls. You can enter the rafflecopter there. You can also check out my interview on Out of Control Characters. All stops are listed and linked on the media page of my website www.rachaelstapleton.com. Don’t forget to enter my Rafflecopter to win a free copy of the first book in the Temple of Indra Series.

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